Understanding your furnace’s rating can make the difference between choosing an energy-efficient furnace and a money-losing venture.
Winter’s on its way and a furnace replacement can happen suddenly, especially if you’ve fallen out of the habit of annual maintenance and inspection. Protect your home from an Okanagan winter crisis by learning more now, and enjoy your Big White winter without worries.
#1 — What AFUE Means
AFUE means Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. This rating system tells you how your furnace stacks up against the competition. A high AFUE rating means higher efficiency.
#2 — AFUE Labeling is on Your Furnace
You can find your unit’s AFUE rating on your furnace’s EnerGuide label. Both natural gas and propane furnaces are labelled, by law. Typically this is a large yellow sticker on the front of most Canadian appliances.
The label also shows you an efficiency bar-scale. Your unit will be indicated by an arrow on the bar. You can see exactly how efficient your furnace is, for example, between 90% – 98%.
#3 — AFUE Furnace Ratings with EnergyStar
Some high-efficiency furnaces and heat pumps have motors that qualify for EnergyStar labelling. This distinctive blue star symbol will be featured on your unit, next to the EnerGuide label.
You can rest assured that an EnergyStar label means that your unit was built with energy efficiency, energy-bill reduction, and reduced environmental impact in mind.
#4 — AFUE Details from HVAC Experts
AFUE is calculated by taking the heat your furnace produces and dividing into the fuel consumed.
A rating of 90% means that 90% of the energy (fuel) is converted to heating. The remaining percentage is lost due to inefficiencies.
Thinking About A More Efficient Furnace?
Now is the best time to have your furnace serviced. Avoid an emergency with heating your home with a checkup. A thorough maintenance check, firing up and priming the system before cold sets in, is great insurance!
Call the HVAC experts at A1 Heating and Air Conditioning in Kelowna for a site visit this month.